Knit sock with targeted compression zone

ABSTRACT

A knit sock includes a foot portion having an upper instep area and a lower sole area integrally knit of a body yarn in circumferential courses and axial wales. The lower sole area defines inner and outer arch regions. The inner arch region incorporates a targeted compression zone adapted to reside generally adjacent an inner arch of a wearer&#39;s foot. The compression zone includes axially extending compression ridges of variable length spaced apart from a top of the compression zone to a bottom of the compression zone. When the sock is worn, a compression force applied by the foot portion within the targeted compression zone is greater than the compression force in directly adjacent areas of said foot portion.

TECHNICAL FIELD AND BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

This invention relates generally to knit hosiery, and more particularlyto a circularly-knit sock with a targeted compression zone. In variousexemplary applications, the compression zone of the present sock mayfunction alone or in combination with other features to “lock” the sockfoot in position on the wearer during use. In addition to improved fitand comfort, the present sock may enhance a runner's proprioception,kinesthetic awareness, stamina or endurance, and overall performance.

SUMMARY OF EXEMPLARY EMBODIMENTS

Various exemplary embodiments of the present invention are describedbelow. Use of the term “exemplary” means illustrative or by way ofexample only, and any reference herein to “the invention” is notintended to restrict or limit the invention to exact features or stepsof any one or more of the exemplary embodiments disclosed in the presentspecification. References to “exemplary embodiment,” “one embodiment,”“an embodiment,” “various embodiments,” and the like, may indicate thatthe embodiment(s) of the invention so described may include a particularfeature, structure, or characteristic, but not every embodimentnecessarily includes the particular feature, structure, orcharacteristic. Further, repeated use of the phrase “in one embodiment,”or “in an exemplary embodiment,” do not necessarily refer to the sameembodiment, although they may.

It is also noted that terms like “preferably”, “commonly”, and“typically” are not utilized herein to limit the scope of the claimedinvention or to imply that certain features are critical, essential, oreven important to the structure or function of the claimed invention.Rather, these terms are merely intended to highlight alternative oradditional features that may or may not be utilized in a particularembodiment of the present invention.

According to one exemplary embodiment, the present disclosure comprisesa knit sock including a foot portion having an upper instep area and alower sole area integrally knit of a body yarn in circumferentialcourses and axial wales. The lower sole area defines inner and outerarch regions. The inner arch region comprises a targeted (predefined)compression zone adapted to reside generally adjacent an inner arch of awearer's foot. The compression zone comprises axially extendingcompression ridges of variable length spaced apart from a top of thecompression zone to a bottom of the compression zone. When the sock isworn, a compression force applied by the foot portion within thetargeted compression zone is greater than the compression force indirectly adjacent areas of said foot portion.

The term “targeted compression zone” as used herein refers to apredefined area of the sock which is of greater density than directlyadjacent areas, and which is fabricated to apply greater compressionforce against an arch of the foot.

In this context of the present disclosure, the term “directly adjacent”means a fabric area located or formed beside or surrounded (in whole orin part) by another fabric area without intervening fabric, parts orother structure.

The term “sock” refers broadly herein to any hosiery or other fabricconstruction designed to cover at least a portion of the wear's foot.The sock may be knit in whole or in part (e.g., using conventionalcircular knitting machinery), and may be specially designed for avariety of uses including running, cycling, hiking, golf, hunting, andother general athletic and every-day wear. The sock may comprise afootsock, tube sock, calf-high sock, mid-calf or over-the calf sock,crew sock, stocking, stretch or support hosiery, foot sleeve, foot wrap,or the like. The present sock may also be integrally formed with othergarments, such as pantyhose.

According to another exemplary embodiment, the targeted compression zonecomprises elastic yarns laid-in the body yarn. Alternatively, thecompression zone may be separately formed and separately attached (e.g.,by sewing) to parts of the sock.

According to another exemplary embodiment, the targeted compression zoneis generally semi-circular. The term “semi-circular” is defined broadlyherein to mean any shape having a first side which is generally linearand a second side which is generally arcuate. The compression zone mayalso be formed in a variety of other shapes including, for example,oval, circular, pyramidal, square, and rectangular.

According to another exemplary embodiment, the targeted compression zonecomprises a substantially arcuate side extending between opposite endsof the foot portion, and a substantially linear side opposite thearcuate side.

According to another exemplary embodiment, the arcuate side of thecompression zone faces a bottom axial centerline of the foot portion(substantially dividing the lower sole area into inside and outside archregions).

According to another exemplary embodiment, the linear side of thecompression zone extends proximate an inside axial centerline of thefoot portion (substantially dividing the lower sole area and the upperinstep area).

According to another exemplary embodiment, the compression zonecomprises a plurality of spaced axial compression ridges. Eachcompression ridge may be formed by one or more uncut pattern (or accentor other) yarns. The term “uncut” refers to a single length of yarnextending coursewise across each of the axial wales in the compressionzone. In other words, a first free end of the uncut yarn may resideoutside a first wale of the compression zone, while the opposite freeend resides outside the last wale of the compression zone. These uncutyarns may be thicker than the body yarn, and may be integrated into thecompression zone in each circumferential course.

According to another exemplary embodiment, the compression ridges taper(become shorter) in axial length from the linear side of the compressionzone towards a center of the arcuate side of the compression zone.

According to another exemplary embodiment, the compression zonecomprises double covered elastic yarns.

According to another exemplary embodiment, the size of each doublecovered elastic yarn is greater than 250 denier.

According to another exemplary embodiment, the compression zone has atighter gauge (or increased stitch density) than directly adjacent areasof the foot portion. The density in the compression zone may be 50%-100%greater than the density in directly adjacent areas of the sock. In oneexample, the density in the compression zone is about 70% greater thanthe density in directly adjacent areas of the sock.

According to another exemplary embodiment, the compression zone has aknit structure distinct from directly adjacent areas of the footportion.

According to another exemplary embodiment, the foot portion furthercomprises a heel and a toe.

According to another exemplary embodiment, the upper instep area of thefoot portion comprises an intermediate flat knit region.

According to another exemplary embodiment, the intermediate flat knitregion in the upper instep area comprises mock ribbing.

According to another exemplary embodiment, the upper instep area of thefoot portion further comprises first and second mesh knit regionsdirectly adjacent or adjacent (i.e, proximate) opposite sides of theintermediate flat knit region.

According to another exemplary embodiment, the outer arch region of thelower sole area comprises mock ribbing.

In yet another exemplary embodiment, the present disclosure comprises aknit sock with a foot portion having an upper instep area and a lowersole area integrally knit of a body yarn in circumferential courses andaxial wales. The lower sole area comprises a generally semi-circulartargeted compression zone. A compression force applied by the footportion within the targeted compression zone is greater than thecompression force in directly adjacent areas of the foot portion.

According to another exemplary embodiment, the targeted compression zonehas reduced coursewise and walewise stretchability relative to directlyadjacent areas of the foot portion.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Some of the objects of the invention have been set forth above. Otherobjects and advantages of the invention will appear as the descriptionproceeds when taken in conjunction with the following drawings, inwhich:

FIG. 1 is a side view of a knit sock incorporating a targetedcompression zone according to one exemplary embodiment of the presentdisclosure;

FIG. 2 is a side view of the exemplary sock worn on a foot of wearer,and including surface shading to indicate various areas and regions ofdistinct knit structure;

FIG. 3 is an inner arch side view of the exemplary sock;

FIG. 4 is a bottom view of the exemplary sock;

FIG. 5 is an outer arch side view of the exemplary sock;

FIG. 6 is a top perspective view of the exemplary sock;

FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view of the exemplary sock taken generallyalong line 7-7 of FIG. 3;

FIG. 8 illustrates an exemplary knit structure of top and bottom marginsof the targeted compression zone; and

FIG. 9 illustrates an exemplary knit structure of the targetedcompression zone between the top and bottom margins.

DESCRIPTION OF EXEMPLARY EMBODIMENTS AND BEST MODE

The present invention is described more fully hereinafter with referenceto the accompanying drawings, in which one or more exemplary embodimentsof the invention are shown. Like numbers used herein refer to likeelements throughout. This invention may, however, be embodied in manydifferent forms and should not be construed as limited to theembodiments set forth herein; rather, these embodiments are provided sothat this disclosure will be operative, enabling, and complete.Accordingly, the particular arrangements disclosed are meant to beillustrative only and not limiting as to the scope of the invention,which is to be given the full breadth of the appended claims and any andall equivalents thereof. Moreover, many embodiments, such asadaptations, variations, modifications, and equivalent arrangements,will be implicitly disclosed by the embodiments described herein andfall within the scope of the present invention.

Although specific terms are employed herein, they are used in a genericand descriptive sense only and not for purposes of limitation. Unlessotherwise expressly defined herein, such terms are intended to be giventheir broad ordinary and customary meaning not inconsistent with thatapplicable in the relevant industry and without restriction to anyspecific embodiment hereinafter described. As used herein, the article“a” is intended to include one or more items. Where only one item isintended, the term “one”, “single”, or similar language is used. Whenused herein to join a list of items, the term “or” denotes at least oneof the items, but does not exclude a plurality of items of the list.

For exemplary methods or processes of the invention, the sequence and/orarrangement of steps described herein are illustrative and notrestrictive. Accordingly, it should be understood that, although stepsof various processes or methods may be shown and described as being in asequence or temporal arrangement, the steps of any such processes ormethods are not limited to being carried out in any particular sequenceor arrangement, absent an indication otherwise. Indeed, the steps insuch processes or methods generally may be carried out in variousdifferent sequences and arrangements while still falling within thescope of the present invention.

Additionally, any references to advantages, benefits, unexpectedresults, or operability of the present invention are not intended as anaffirmation that the invention has been previously reduced to practiceor that any testing has been performed. Likewise, unless statedotherwise, use of verbs in the past tense (present perfect or preterit)is not intended to indicate or imply that the invention has beenpreviously reduced to practice or that any testing has been performed.

Referring now specifically to the drawings, a knit sock according to oneexemplary embodiment of the present disclosure is illustrated in FIGS. 1and 2, and shown generally at reference numeral 10. The exemplary sock10 is constructed on a circular hosiery knitting machine, and includes aplurality of yarns formed in needle and sinker loops extending incircumferential courses and axial wales. The sock 10 may be formedthroughout of a body yarn and a ground yarn knitted in platedrelationship in various stitch constructions described below, and withinlaid elastic yarns and pattern yarns in certain portions, areas, andregions of the sock.

Referring to FIGS. 3-6, the exemplary sock 10 comprises anintegrally-knit raised ankle portion 11 and foot portion 12. The footportion 12 includes an upper instep area 14, a lower sole area 15, and areciprocally-knitted heel 16 and toe 17. The upper instep area 14 andlower sole area 15 are circularly-knit in foot portion 12 and designatedby notional center lines ICL and OCL in FIGS. 3 and 5, such that anupper half of the foot portion 12 substantially defines the instep area14 while the lower half substantially defines the sole area 15. Theupper instep area 14 has a front ankle region 21, an intermediate instepregion 22, and a forward instep region 23. These regions 21, 22, 23 areaxially divided by notional center line TCL in FIG. 6. The lower solearea 15 has inner and outer arch regions 25, 26 axially divided bycenter line BCL in FIG. 4, and a forward ball region 27 adjacent the toe17. The inner arch region 25 is designed to reside substantiallyadjacent an inner arch of the wearer's foot, as best shown in FIG. 2,and incorporates a generally semi-circular, anatomically-shaped targetedcompression zone 30 comprising elastic yarns, pattern (or accent) yarns,and axially extending compression ridges 32, discussed further below.When applied to the foot, the compression zone 30 of sock 10 may exertan intensified targeted compression force at the inner arch of the footwhich is substantially greater than the compression force applied inother directly adjacent areas of the foot portion 12. The intensifiedcompression may be as much as 3-4 times greater (or more) in thecompression zone 30 of the sock 10.

As best shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, the compression zone 30 has asubstantially linear side 30A at its top margin 31A which extendsadjacent the inside axial center line ICL of foot portion 12, and asubstantially arcuate side 30B opposite the linear side 30A at itsbottom margin 31B, and facing the bottom axial centerline BCL of thefoot portion 12. FIG. 7 further illustrates quadrants of thecircularly-knit foot portion 12 of sock 10. The quadrants are divided byrespective center lines ICL, OCL, TCL, BCL discussed above. As shown,the targeted compression zone 30 may reside substantially entirelywithin the lower inside quadrant of the foot portion at the inner archregion 25 (substantially between ICL and BCL). The compression ridges 32are spaced apart circumferentially from a top of the compression zone 30to the bottom of the compression zone 30, and taper in axial lengthwithin a generally semi-circular shape between top and bottom margins31A, 31B.

The remainder of the lower sole area 15 immediately surrounding thetargeted compression zone 30 (both axially and circumferentially)comprises a less dense flat knit fabric structure with a one-by-one mockrib. The upper instep area 14 of the sock 10 may comprise a 1×1 meshknit construction in the divided front ankle and forward instep regions21, 23. The intermediate instep region 22 may incorporate a 1×1 mock ribconstruction similar to the fabric area immediately surrounding thecompression zone 30. The heel and toe 16, 17 are formed in aconventional manner, and may also comprise mock ribbing. The ankleportion 11 of sock 10 may comprise a mesh knit elastic cuff, and mockribbing knit in a conventional manner.

Exemplary Knit Structure of Compression Zone 30

Referring to FIGS. 3, 4, 8, and 9, in the exemplary embodiment thetargeted compression zone 30 of sock 10 is formed of a one-by-one mockrib construction with the elastic yarn (E) laid-in the plaited body yarn(B) on a reverse side of the fabric in each course C1-C12 by tuck andfloat stitches in needle loops of wales W1-W8. FIG. 8 illustrates theknit structure of the compression zone 30 in spaced top and bottommargins 31A, 31B—the compression zone 30, margins 31A, 31B, and axialcompression ridges 32 being shown FIGS. 3 and 4. The axial compressionridges 32 between the margins 31A, 31B are formed by the introduction oftwo pattern yarns (P1) and (P2), shown in FIG. 9, integrally knit withthe plaited body yarn (B) in each course C1-C12 in a manner using tuckand float stitches, such that the compression ridges 32 (W2-W4 andW6-W8) are raised and substantially more dense as compared to directlyadjacent areas of the foot portion 12. For clarity of illustration, thepattern yarns (P1) and (P2) are distinguished in FIG. 9 by broken-linesand bold lines, respectively. In the exemplary embodiment, pattern yarn(P1) is knit in wales W2, W3, W6, and W7 of the plaited body yarn (B),and floats uncut across wales W1, W4, W5, and W8. Pattern yarn (P2) isknit in wales W4 and W8 of the plaited body yarn (B), and floats uncutacross wales W1, W2, W3, W5, W6 and W7. As indicated previously, thecompression zone 30 may be knit in a manner resulting in increasedstitch density, tighter gauge, and reduced stretchability compared todirectly adjacent areas of the foot portion 12.

For the purposes of describing and defining the present invention it isnoted that the use of relative terms, such as “substantially”,“generally”, “approximately”, and the like, are utilized herein torepresent an inherent degree of uncertainty that may be attributed toany quantitative comparison, value, measurement, or otherrepresentation. These terms are also utilized herein to represent thedegree by which a quantitative representation may vary from a statedreference without resulting in a change in the basic function of thesubject matter at issue.

Exemplary embodiments of the present invention are described above. Noelement, act, or instruction used in this description should beconstrued as important, necessary, critical, or essential to theinvention unless explicitly described as such. Although only a few ofthe exemplary embodiments have been described in detail herein, thoseskilled in the art will readily appreciate that many modifications arepossible in these exemplary embodiments without materially departingfrom the novel teachings and advantages of this invention. Accordingly,all such modifications are intended to be included within the scope ofthis invention as defined in the appended claims.

In the claims, any means-plus-function clauses are intended to cover thestructures described herein as performing the recited function and notonly structural equivalents, but also equivalent structures. Thus,although a nail and a screw may not be structural equivalents in that anail employs a cylindrical surface to secure wooden parts together,whereas a screw employs a helical surface, in the environment offastening wooden parts, a nail and a screw may be equivalent structures.Unless the exact language “means for” (performing a particular functionor step) is recited in the claims, a construction under §112, 6thparagraph is not intended. Additionally, it is not intended that thescope of patent protection afforded the present invention be defined byreading into any claim a limitation found herein that does notexplicitly appear in the claim itself.

What is claimed:
 1. A knit sock, comprising: a foot portion having an upper instep area and a lower sole area integrally knit of a body yarn in circumferential courses and axial wales, said lower sole area defining inner and outer arch regions; a targeted compression zone formed with said sock and comprising axially extending compression ridges spaced-apart from each other and extending axially from a first end of said compression zone to a second end of said compression zone, and wherein said compression ridges extend axially outward from a heel of said sock at the first end of said compression zone and have different termination points at the second end said compression zone; and whereby a compression force applied by said sock within said targeted compression zone is greater than the compression force in directly adjacent areas of said sock.
 2. A knit sock according to claim 1, wherein said targeted compression zone comprises elastic yarns laid-in said body yarn.
 3. A knit sock according to claim 1, wherein said axially extending compression ridges comprise individual uncut pattern yarns integrally formed with respective courses of said body yarn within said targeted compression zone.
 4. A knit sock according to claim 1, wherein said targeted compression zone is generally semi-circular.
 5. A knit sock according to claim 4, wherein said targeted compression zone has first and second sides, and wherein the first side of said targeted compression zone is substantially arcuate, and wherein the second side of said targeted compression zone is substantially linear.
 6. A knit sock according to claim 5, wherein said compression ridges taper in respective axial length from the linear side of said compression zone to the arcuate side of said compression zone.
 7. A knit sock according to claim 6, wherein the arcuate side of said compression zone faces a bottom axial centerline of said foot portion.
 8. A knit sock according to claim 7, wherein the linear side of said compression zone extends adjacent an inside axial centerline of said foot portion.
 9. A knit sock according to claim 1, wherein said compression zone comprises double covered elastic yarns.
 10. A knit sock according to claim 9, wherein said double covered elastic yarns are greater than 250 denier.
 11. A knit sock according to claim 1, wherein said compression zone has an increased density as compared to directly adjacent areas of said foot portion.
 12. A knit sock according to claim 1, wherein said compression zone has a knit structure distinct from directly adjacent areas of said foot portion.
 13. A knit sock according to claim 1, wherein the upper instep area of said foot portion comprises an intermediate flat knit region.
 14. A knit sock according to claim 13, wherein the intermediate flat knit region in said upper instep area comprises mock ribbing.
 15. A knit sock according to claim 14, wherein the upper instep area of said foot portion further comprises first and second mesh knit regions directly adjacent opposite sides of said intermediate flat knit region.
 16. A knit sock according to claim 1, wherein the outer arch region of said lower sole area comprises mock ribbing. 